Peat-harvesting machine.



PATENTBD MAY 3, 1904.

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A DOBSON PBAT HARVESTING MACHINE APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 6 1903 U ITEDSTATES Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OF ICE.

PEAT-HARVESTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,624, dated May 3,1904,.

Application filed June 6, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known. that I, ALEXANDER DOBSON, millwright, of the town ofBeaverton, in the county of Ontario, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Peat-HarvestingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in peat-harvesting machines; andthe object of the invention is to devise a machine whereby the cost ofdigging and drying peat may be the conveyer, the parts being otherwisearranged and constructed in detail as hereinafter more particularlyexplained.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved peat-harvesting machine.Fig. 2 is an end elevation from the same side, showing the conveyer anddigging-wheel removed. Fig. 3 is a detail of the knife-wheel and bucket.Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the conveyer from the opposite side tothat shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

A is the frame of the wagon; B, the wheels, which are broad, asindicated, and secured to an axle B, which is journaled on suitablebearings B depending from the frame. There are four wheels to the wagon,as indicated in Fig. -1, the-two rear wheels being not clearly shown.

C is a swinging frame, which is pivoted on the shaft C in bearings C onthe main frame A. p

D represents supporting standards obliquely set and securely held inposition by the braces D.

C represents the side boards of the swinging frame, which are connectedtogether by Serial No. 160,44'7i (No model.)

the cross-boards C, on which is supported the motor E, and at theopposite end are provided with depending side bars C forming a dependingframe braced by cross-bars c and diagonal bars 0 At the top of the barsG I journal in suitable bearings the shaft F, upon which is secured thepulley G, which is connected by the belt g to the pulley E of the motor.

H is a sprocket-wheel secured on the shaft F, connected by thesprocket-chain h to the sprocket-wheel I on the knife-wheel shaft J,which is journaled in suitable bearings at the bottom of the side bars GThe disk K, rigidly secured to one of the bars C and through which theknife-wheel shaft J passes, acts as a shield for said knife-wheel. Thedisk or shieldK is provided with an offset portion K, at the upper endof which extends the arcshaped directing-chute K to which is hinged thestraight chute K L is the knife-wheel, the buckets Z of which aresubstantially radially arranged, the buckets being U-shaped incross-section,- as indicated in Fig. 3, and extending outwardly, asshown.

L represents the knives, which are arranged in a series along the outerside of the bucket and set obliquely, as indicated in Fig. 3.

M is a conveyer having the side boards m and the bottom boards m, suchconveyer being secured in position on the front of the frame by suitablesupports m and m The frame M, hereinbefore described, is the frame of anendless conveyer, comprising the endless sprocket-chains m, providedwith the cross-slats of, such sprocket-chains being carried at each endby suitable sprocket-wheels m and m on the shafts 2 and 3, respectively.

N represents the lower side boards, which are suitably connected to thesupport m at one end and to the braces M at the opposite end, which aresecured to the side boards m.

0 is a discharge-wheel comprising the substantially radial arms 0,connected together by the cross-blades 0. The discharge-wheel O isprovided with a suitable shaft 0 which is journaled in bearings in theboards N at the discharge end of the endless conveyer, which moves inthe direction indicated by arrow.

E is a sprocket-wheel secured on the end of the shaft Fand connected bya sprocket-chain E to a sprocket-wheel P on the end of the shaft 1),journaled in bearings on the side boards m of the conveyer-frame M.

P is a sprocket-wheel secured on the shaft 3) and connected by thesprocketchain P to the sprocket-wheel P on the end of the shaft 3.

P is a sprocket-wheel on the shaft and connected by a sprocket-chain Pto the sprocketwheel 0 on the end of the shaft 0 ofv the discharge wheelor fan.

It will be noticed that the sprocket-wheel on the end of the dischargewheel or fan is much smaller than the sprocket-wheel on the end of theshaftSfor the purpose of imparting aswift beating, throwing, or sprayingaction on the peat when it is being discharged from the conveyer.

Q is a gear-wheel secured to the shaft q, engaged by the gear-pinion gon the spindle (1 -which is provided with the crank-handle Q3.

Q is a chain connected at one end to the shaft q and at the opposite endto one of the Gross-bars C of the wheel-frame.

Having now described the principal parts involved in my invention, Ishall briefly describe its operation and utility. By the construction ofmy frame it will be noticed that the motor E is heavy, comparativelyspeaking, to the wheel-frame on the opposite end of the swinging frame,and is consequently on the short end of the frame for the purpose ofbalancing the swinging frame. In order to raise or lower thewheel-frame, I manipulate the crank-handle g and by this means wind upthe chain Q, or let it out so as to depress the wheel-frame and bringthe wheel L into the peat of the bog. It will of course be understoodthat the motor imparts motion through the pulley E, belt 9, and pulley Gto the sprocket-wheel H, by which motion is conveyed by thesprocket-chain to the sprocketwheel I on the knife-wheel shaft, andthereby the knife and buckets are rotated. The operator of the machineby standing on the wagon can lower the knife-wheel as the peat is beingcut, such knife-wheel rotating very rapidly and cutting a concentric orare-shaped cut into the bog, as indicated, the knife slicing off a sideout as the machine is being propelled forward by means which it is notnecessary here to describe. The knife-wheel being caused to rotate inthe direction indicated by arrow cuts and pulverizes the peat andcarries such pulverized peat through the arc-shaped chute K and out ofthe hinged chute K onto the conveyer M, the centrifugal force throwingthe peat peripherally outward and tangentially onward onto the conveyor.By the conveyer M the pulverized peat is carried onto thedischarge-wheel O, which revolving rapidly serves to spread the peat invery fine particles over the dried surface of the bog, and as the wagonmoves forward necessarily the peat is spread. in a thin layer and willbe quickly dried by the sun, and thereby relieve such peat of thegreater part of the moisture, and thus reduce to a minimum the amount ofartificial drying required. I wish also to draw attention to theadvantages which I derive from my knife-wheel and the arrangement of theknives thereof, as I am enabled by such an arrangement to slice the peatinto very thin shavings or layers, so that it is pulverized as it passesthrough the wheel, and when it reaches the discharge-wheel it is in fineparticles for distributing onto the surface of the bog. I wish also tocall attention to the manner in which the weight is distributed on thewagon. It will be noticed that the pivotpoint for the swinging frame isover the wheel on the solid bog and farthest away from the edge of thebog on which the knife-wheel is acting, and therefore the wheel on suchedge, having but comparatively small weight as compared to the wheel onthe opposite side of the wagon, will not be liable to break away theedge surface of the bog and ditch the wagon.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a peat-harvesting machine, thecombination with the wagon and frame,of aswinging frame pivoted on thetop of the wagon, and peat-cutting means depending from one end of suchframe, and means for driving such peat-cutting means as and for thepurpose specified.

2. In a peat-harvesting machine, the combination with the wagon andframe, of aswinging frame pivoted on the top of the wagon, andpeat-collecting means depending from one end of such frame, and a motorat the opposite end of the swinging frame and driving means between themotor and the peat-collecting means as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a peat-harvesting machine, the combination with the wagon andswinging frame pivoted on the top thereof and peat-cutting meansdepending from one end and extending down laterally over one side, ofmeans for raising and lowering and supporting the depending end of theswinging frame as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a peat-harvesting machine, the combination with the wagon andswinging frame pivoted thereon and peat-cutting means depending from oneend and extending down laterally over one side, of supporting-standardssecured to the wagon, a shaft journaled thereon and provided with agear-wheel at one end, a gear-pinion meshing with such gearwheel andsecured on a suitable spindle provided with a crank-handle, and a chainconnected at one end to the shaft and at the other end to the dependingend of the swinging frame as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination with the swinging frame suitably swung on the wagonand having a depending portion at one end, of a peat-cutting wheelsuitably journaled at the lower end of such portion and means fordriving the same as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination with the swinging frame suitably swung on the wagonand having a depending portion at one end, of a peat cutting andconveying wheel suitably journaled at the v such portion and an ejectingmeans for delivering the peat from the cutting means as and for thepurpose specified.

8. The combination with the swinging frame suitably swung on the wagonand having a depending portion at one end, of a peat-cutting wheelsuitably journaled at the lower end of such portion and an ejectingmeans for delivering the peat from the cutting means, and a suitableconveyer located in the path of the ejected peat as and for the purposespecified.

9. The combination with the swinging frame suitably swung on the wagonand having a depending portion at one end, of a peat-cutting wheelsuitably journaled at the lower end of such portion, ejecting means fordelivering the peat from the cutting means, a suitable conveyer locatedin the path of the ejected peat, and a discharging-wheel at the end ofthe conveyer as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a device of the class described, the peat-cutting wheelconsisting of arms having a series of knives on each arm andlongitudinal buckets on the inside of the arms adjacent to the knives,and means for supporting and rotating the wheel as and for the purposespecified.

11. In a device of the class described, a peatcutting wheel consistingof arms having a series of knives on each arm and longitudinal bucketson the inside of the arms adjacent to the knives, means for supportingand rotating the wheel, and means for raising and lowering the same asand for the purpose specified.

12. In a device of the class described, a peatcutting wheel consistingof arms having a series of knives on each arm and longitudinal bucketson the inside of the arms adjacent to the knives, means for supportingand rotating thewheel, and a shield located behind the wheel as and forthe purpose specified.

13. The combination with the swinging frame supported on the wagon andhaving a depending portion, of a shaft journaled in the lower end of thedepending portion, a peatcutting wheel located at one end of the shaftand means for driving such peat-cutting wheel as and for the purposespecified.

14. The combination with the swinging frame supported on the wagon andhaving a depending portion, of a shaft journaled in the lower end of thedepending portion, a peatcutting wheel located at one end of the shaft,

and a motor located on the outside end of the swinging frame,a'counter-shaftsuitably journaled on the top of the depending portion, apulley located in same, a driving-belt between such pulley and-thepulley on the motor-shaft,

a sprocket-wheel on the aforesaid countershaft, a sprocket-wheel on thepeat-cuttingwheel shaft and a sprocket-chain connecting the aforesaidsprockets as and for the purpose specified.

15; The combination with the swinging frame suitably supported andprovided with a depending portion at one end and means for raislng andlowering such portion, of a shaft journaled at the lower end of thedepending portion and a knife-wheel located on such shaft as and for thepurpose specified.

16. The combination with the swinging frame suitably supported andprovided with a depending portion at one end and means for raising andlowering such portion, of a shaft journaled at the lower end of thedepending portion and a knife-wheel comprising arms provided with aseries of knives on such arms and buckets behind the knives and meansfor rotating such knife-wheel as and for the purpose specified. v

17. The combination with the swinging frame suitably supported andprovided with a depending portion at one end and means for raising andlowering such portion, of a shaft journaled at the lower end of thedepending portion and a knife-wheel comprising arms provided with aseries of knives on such arms, and buckets behind the knives, a shieldlocated behind the buckets and means for rotating the wheel as and forthe purpose specified.

18. The combination with the peat-cutting or knife wheel comprising armshaving knives and buckets, of ashield located behind the buckets, thearc-shaped conveyer located on an offset of the shield and the swingingejecting-chute located at the upper end of the arc-shaped conveyer asand for the purpose specified.

19. The combination with the peat-cutting or knife wheel comprising armshaving knives and buckets, of a shield located behind the buckets, thearc-shaped conveyer located on an offset of the shield, the swingingejectingchute located at the upper end of the areshaped conveyer, aninclined conveyer comprising side boards and a bottom board and endlesschains carried by suitable brackets, and slats extending across thechains, and means for driving such conveyer as and for the purposespecified.

20. The combination with the peat-cutting or knife wheel comprising armshaving knives and buckets, of a shield located behind the buckets, thearc-shaped conveyer located on an offset-of the shield, the swingingejecting- .chute located at the upper end of the arcshaped conveyer, aninclined conveyer comprising side boards and a bottom board and endlesschains carried by suitable brackets, and slats extending across thechains, a discharge-wheel provided with suitable crossblades located atthe discharge end of the conveyer and means for driving the same at afaster rate than the conveyer as and for the purpose specified.

21. The combination with the peat-cutting or-knife wheel comprising armshaving knives and buckets, of a shield located behind the buckets and anarc-shaped conveyer located on the offset of the shield as and for thepurpose specified.

22. In an apparatus for harvesting peat, the combination with a suitablecarrying-conveyer for peat, of a delivery-wheel deriving motion at acomparatively high speed to the carrying-conveyer, whereby the peat isdelivered and spread in a cloud of fine particles as and for the purposespecified.

23. The combination with an endless-belt conveyer, of a wheel located atthe delivery end thereof and provided with a plurality of blades orbuckets, and means for imparting to such Wheel a comparatively high rateof speed to that of the endless-belt conveyer as and for the purposespecified.

24. In an apparatus for harvesting peat, a discharge or delivery wheellocated at the end of the main conveyer and deriving movement at acomparatively high rate of speed to such conveyer as and for the purposespecified.

25. In a peat-harvesting machine, the combination with the Wagon, of aswinging frame carrying the cutting apparatus and pivoted on the side ofthe wagon opposite to that where the cutting is done as and for thepurpose specified.

ALEXANDER DOBSON. Witn esses B. BOYD, M. MCLAREN.

